Introduction

Good day to all! Let us examine Chapter 23 of the Book of Acts. Before we know it, we are nearing the end of our study of Acts. Has everyone found this study clearer than previous ones? The ability to grasp the main themes is continuously improving. Not only have I progressed, but all of you have as well! This is a very good phenomenon. Not only in Bible study, but also in bearing witness, we must emulate the Apostle Paul.

The theme of this chapter is: Take courage! For as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome! This is God’s arrangement for Paul; he must go to Rome to bear witness for the Lord. Although he is now imprisoned, the Lord stood by Paul in the night. How wonderful it is to have Mingding Destiny! Although Paul is imprisoned, his heart and his mission cannot be confined. God actually appeared beside him in the night. When I see such testimonies and read such scriptures, I feel it is truly excellent!

It is wonderful to know why one lives, to know that there is such an opportunity to toil and labour for the Lord, and to bear witness for Him. I long for the day when the Lord Jesus also stands beside me and says, “Take courage!” But some people find it unsettling. They are imprisoned, so what is good about that? They have been arrested and nearly torn to pieces. Most people would tremble, their legs would shake, and their trousers would be wet in such situations. The Apostle Paul did not need to wear diapers. He would not be frightened to the point of losing control because he had Mingding Destiny and knew why he lived.

The High Priest Will Also Hear Paul's Testimony

Paul, looking intently at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” And the high priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to strike him on the mouth. (Acts 23:1-2)

The high priest arrived, but Paul was unaware and continued to share his testimony with them. As a result, the high priest ordered those standing by to strike Paul on the mouth, saying, “Paul, are you still boasting?” But Paul truly lived with a clear conscience. Why then was he imprisoned? It was to allow these people to hear God’s testimony, one person at a time, two people at a time.

Perhaps some of the people in these councils, including the high priest, thought to themselves as they lay in bed at night: Maybe this Jesus Christ really is the Christ, as there is someone who testifies for Him so righteously and fearlessly in the face of death. Would ordinary people do this just for money or to save their lives? If Jesus Christ were not real, would Paul do this? Perhaps there are a few, but we do not know. However, we believe there must be some, as you do not know what happened to these council members later.

Did anyone hear the testimony? I suspect some did. Because Jesus had Paul come to Jerusalem to testify before the Jews, and also to testify among the Romans. Paul came for this reason. It is hoped that people like James and Peter can be moved by Paul's sense of mission and know that Paul is preaching the true gospel. As for whether they were eventually moved, that depends on their fate.

Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” (Acts 23:3-5)

The previous chapter mentioned that when Paul arrived at the council, he started speaking to the people. Later, he realized that the person in front of him was the high priest. He quickly apologized and also said a few words.

But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” (Acts 23:6)

Paul saw that half of those facing him were Sadducees and half were Pharisees. It is like the current church, where half agree with speaking in tongues and half oppose it; half believe in the resurrection of the dead and half do not; half believe in angels and half do not. Two denominations, one called the Sadducees and one called the Pharisees, they argue all day long. It is like many Methodists, Presbyterians, Charismatics, and Conservatives, each speaking their own views.

And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then there arose a great clamor, and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” And when a great dissension arose, the tribune, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him out of their midst and bring him into the barracks. (Acts 23:7-10)

After Paul said this, what happened? Everyone forgot about Paul because whether they were Sadducees or Pharisees, they were like fighting cocks, and the two factions argued. Some believed in the resurrection of the dead, some did not; some said there were angels, some said there were not. Paul was almost torn to pieces in the middle, and everyone ignored Paul's matter. Seeing this situation, the tribune quickly pulled Paul away. Paul was clever, raising a question that led to chaos among the two factions, instantly confusing their minds. Paul had the opportunity to testify for Jesus Christ before the high priest. In fact, these people knew what Jesus was all about.

Do you know how Paul bore witness? He was not afraid of death! If you are afraid of death, you cannot bear witness for the Lord. If you love money, you cannot bear witness for Jesus. If you are not afraid of death, others will know that you are serious. Being able to sacrifice your life is called true testimony. This is the key! Some people are like teapots worth two cents, with good mouths. But as soon as it comes to the crucial moment, they are sure to be finished, with their minds full of thoughts of swindling money, wanting to put your money into their pockets. As a result, the money in your pockets goes into theirs, but where the money in their pockets goes is unknown. However, they themselves will definitely end up in prison.

Paul was imprisoned for Mingding Destiny; they were imprisoned for money. As the saying goes, people die for wealth, and birds die for food. This is the idea of ordinary people. Brothers and sisters must know that Paul faced these things so calmly because he had Mingding Destiny. This is what he does. Whether in Jerusalem or among the Romans, he bears witness. Paul is a man who has seen the world. In this life, he has testified before governors and Roman emperors. How many people in this world have such an opportunity?

Paul's Plan Was to Go to Rome to Bear Witness for the Lord

Originally, Paul's plan was to go to Rome, but who knew that he would crash in Jerusalem. He was entangled with regret in his heart. Before coming to Jerusalem, Paul had written a letter to the church in Rome, telling the brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ in Rome that he would first go to Jerusalem and then go to Rome to see them. Seeing that the plan to go to Rome was about to fall through, Paul was very entangled in his heart, so he prayed to God at night, and the Lord Jesus appeared in prayer.

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” (Acts 23:11)

Originally, Paul was very worried, but he felt relieved after hearing what the Lord said. Although he is now imprisoned, the Lord still paves the way for him to go to Rome. Brothers and sisters must know that this is the logic of faith. It is a pity that he could not go to Rome, but Paul prayed at night with faith. He must go to Rome to bear witness for the Lord, and he must gain some brothers and sisters in Rome. You must know that people are very interesting. Once they lose faith, they feel uncomfortable. They feel that it is not possible and must have faith, and they will definitely be able to go to Rome to bear witness. But after a while, they lose faith again. This faith is sometimes there and sometimes not.

Have you noticed that it feels good when you have faith, but it feels uncomfortable when you don’t have faith? When people have faith, they have hope, and when they don’t have faith, they feel uncomfortable, uneasy, and cannot think of any good ideas. When Paul and Silas were imprisoned in the past, the prison doors opened. But this time the door did not open. What difference would it make if he questioned why God did not open the door? In fact, God simply ignores it, and do not think that nothing will happen if the prison door does not open. God still opens the door for Paul and paves the way for him to preach the gospel and bear witness in the future. People with Mingding Destiny.

The faith I just mentioned is sometimes there and sometimes not; sometimes relieved and sometimes not. This process is actually very normal. You have struggled, and I have struggled. Yesterday morning, a sister in Canada called me and told me that her faith was sometimes there and sometimes not. Brothers and sisters must know that if we have faith in the company's listing sometimes and sometimes not, that is nonsense. As for whether there is a listing or not, God does not care much.

If you have Mingding Destiny, God will definitely help you whether you have faith or not. This is the advantage of having Mingding Destiny. If people do not have Mingding Destiny, they do not even know what they are living for. One of our teachers was lecturing on stage when a group of young gangsters walked in and asked him what he was doing. Because this teacher had heard my teaching, he said to these children: The question you asked is very important. This is a philosophical question. What are you doing?

Is it our destiny in this life to suffer from cancer? Some struggle with incontinence, while others face constipation or loss of appetite. They live without purpose, merely existing. If I were to ask what your purpose is, would the answer be to develop cancer or arthritis?

Zhao Benshan once told a joke, a riddle: If there's a pig and a donkey, which should the owner kill first? Someone answered: Kill the donkey. Zhao Benshan replied: Correct, that's what the pig thinks too. The pig exists to be eaten; some exist to print money; others to engage in MLM schemes and scams; still others to indulge in eating and drinking. Pigs, dogs, and monkeys might think the same way, but we must not.

We must have faith that we are here to testify for the Lord, to witness His great power in us, to witness resurrection from death, to live in hope instead of despair. Even when imprisoned, the path to God remains open to us. We walk a great road that conquers demons, where even monkeys know about eternal life, but humans do not. What a tragedy! Though Paul was imprisoned, God paved the way for him to testify in Rome.

Within me are many dreams of bearing witness to the Lord, and I believe God will pave the way for me. When I first became a pastor, I said to God: God, I don't want to be a mediocre pastor, but a resounding one. Later, God began to bless me, allowing me to establish Chinese Mingding Destiny. Few in this world can establish a doctrine like Wang Yangming's philosophy of the unity of knowledge and action.

I founded Chinese Mingding Destiny, even more clearly than Martin Luther. Because in the limitations of history, that was the height of his era. So we must have bigger hearts, more dreams, more faith and hope, to testify for the Lord. I long for many who believe in the wrong gospel to receive God's grace through Chinese Mingding Destiny while I am still alive. Even if this wish is not fulfilled in my lifetime, God will fulfill it after my death, for it is His will.

Experiencing God's Grace in the Past and Present

In fact, the path we have walked is much easier than that of the Apostle Paul. He faced all kinds of persecutions and tribulations, being stoned, beaten with rods, even left for dead outside the city, only to revive. Paul's experiences are unimaginable. Why did he still go to Jerusalem? Because he had experienced all those things before, so going to Jerusalem was child's play. What we experienced in the past, we still experience now, but each experience is a lesson in faith. This time, God responded to Paul that not a single hair would fall without His permission. This is what it means to have Mingding Destiny. If a person's ideas are like a pig's, their hair will fall out as if they were being de-haired like a pig. That would be deadly.

Rest assured, no one can stop us from walking this destined path. Chinese Mingding Destiny will surely see the glory of God manifested throughout the earth, and will surely make us a blessing to many, for this is the theology of Paul. This is the benefit of having Mingding Destiny, God is with you! Sometimes we can see God's presence, and sometimes we cannot, but even when we cannot see Him, He is still there. Nothing can take away our destiny, we must walk this path.

And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves with an oath, neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” (Acts 23:12-15)

Though there were more than forty people who wanted to kill Paul, they could not! They wanted to go against God, to kill the one chosen by God to bear witness for Him. I think they should forget it! We have no fear in our hearts, but a calm and joyful attitude to welcome the fulfillment of God's plan in us, and to walk this path of bearing witness for God. This is our choice. Although we will experience all kinds of risks and obstacles, God will help us, who can resist? We have the help of the Holy Spirit, God will prepare His timely help.

God Has Prepared All Kinds of Timely Help

Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” (Acts 23:16-17)

These forty people wanted to kill Paul, but they did not know that one of the young men was Paul's nephew. As the saying goes, coincidence is stranger than fiction. God arranged for Paul's nephew, his sister's child, to be among them. After Paul's nephew heard this, he ran to the barracks to see Paul. Paul called a centurion, and the centurion took the young man to the tribune. A series of helps, whether tribune or centurion, all helped Paul. This is simply too divine! It is said that this nephew should have taken a string of silver or gold, and two bottles of Moutai to see the tribune, but he did not, he went straight in. How could it be such a coincidence? God prepared all kinds of help, and the tribune and centurion all cleared the way.

So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready and waiting for your consent.” So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.” Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Felix the governor.” And he wrote a letter to this effect: “Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.” (Acts 23:18-30)

If Peter had encountered this, it would have been a little troublesome. God would have to change the way He helped, because Peter did not have Roman citizenship. Paul was a Roman citizen, and if he was to be convicted, especially of a serious crime, it needed to be interrogated by the Emperor, because Roman citizens had a very high status at that time. What God prepared was really amazing. The tribune saw that it was not good, and put Paul in Herod's palace that night. What place was Herod's palace? Herod was a tetrarch, Herod's palace was equivalent to the palace of the Jewish king. If you dare to enter the palace to kill people, that is an assassin, so God prepared it so well!

Even the Governor Must Hear Paul's Testimony

So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia he said, “I will hear you when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's praetorium. (Acts 23:31-35)

How could the Governor casually listen to people give him testimonies? That is definitely not possible, that person must still have some status. But God arranged a very wonderful thing, let Paul be a prisoner, to go to the Governor to testify. The identity of the prisoner is just right for testifying, because listening to testimonies, judging cases, and deciding cases are all the Governor's jobs. How good it is to listen to testimonies during the Governor's working hours, and he doesn't need to play mahjong, just concentrate on listening to testimonies.

Summary

Rest assured, you will testify for Me in Rome, I long for God to say this to me too! Rest assured, God will surely raise us up in this generation to bear glorious witness for Him! We don't need to worry, don't need to be anxious, don't need to be in a hurry, just move forward well, and constantly shepherd God's flock. We must not only bear witness, but also constantly improve and complete the work that Paul has not yet completed, God will surely accomplish it. I declare by faith that God will continue to manifest His glory through us until it fills the whole earth.

Amen! May God bless everyone!